


Fire&Ice

by stormy1990



Category: Kis-My-Ft2 (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-30
Updated: 2015-10-30
Packaged: 2018-04-28 22:11:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5107487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stormy1990/pseuds/stormy1990
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After fighting a pointless war for hundreds of years it was finally time for someone to stand up and try to make them realize that there was another way, a peaceful one. Nikaido had already tried a lot to convince the fire demons to finally stop fighting and listen to them instead, but while the ice hunters were almost all living in peace with the humans the fire demons wouldn't even listen to a conclusion! But there was one who seemed willing to listen. Could Fujigaya help his own people to find peace, if he would dare to overcome the hate between them and listen to Nikaido?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fire&Ice

**Author's Note:**

> This one is more like an extract of a huge story I was too lazy to write, but I hope you'll like it anyways :D  
> Be ready for spelling and grammar mistakes (as always)!  
> And I hope I did't switch the pov in between, but if I did: sorry^^"

** **

** Fire&Ice **

**Nikaido’s POV**

"I still don't care for their background." Senga growled.

"And that is exactly why we are in this mess right now." I tried to explain for at least the dozenth time.

"It's not our mess, it’s theirs to be correct."

"Wataru we are not discussing those small matters right now." I hissed at him about to lose it.

"Okay everyone, would you please calm down. This is not the right time to discuss this." Miyata said stepping between us.

"It's never the right time when it comes to you." I added angry crossing my arms in front of my chest."

"But this time I get Miyata's point." Senga added.

"Don't try to sneak away from this topic, I warn you."

"This time it might be better when I warn you first."

"What?"

"Everyone down!"

The moment Senga pointed behind me I knew exactly what was coming. As we all jumped to the side a fireball hit the ground just where we were standing.

"Told you it's not the right time."

"Miyata watch out and don't try to be a smartass now." Wataru shouted at him as another fireball was hitting the stonewall next to him after Wataru had pulled him away.

"Okay enough talking, time for actions." Senga jumped out of his hiding place dashing towards the direction from where the attacks were coming from.

"But we didn't even start talking." I said to myself as we ran after Senga.

“There they are! Humans little protection squad!” Kitayama shouted almost happy the moment they came into sight.

“And there you are, worlds’ lowlifes!” Senga countered and Kitayama didn’t even lose another second before he shot another fire ball at him, but this time Senga didn’t dodge it. He put his hands right against it and the fire froze, so that a huge ice block fell to the ground clashing into small pieces in front of Senga’s feet.

“Are you getting weaker?” Senga teased the smaller one and got an angry glance as a response.

“Are you getting even uglier?” Tamamori asked with a lopsided sneer stepping next to Kitayama.

“Oh great, now we are getting personal here, fish face!”

“Says the right one, gorilla!”

“Would you cut it out?” I had stepped next to Senga the exact moment as Fujigaya had stepped in between Kitayama and Tamamori saying the same thing.

We looked at each other for a brief moment, but didn’t say anything, even though there were so many things I wanted to tell them.

“You are right, enough of the words! Let’s play!” Without another warning Tamamori jumped forward creating a fire snake which came directly at Senga and me. But before it reached us Miyata shot an ice blast against it.

“You are open!”

“Watch out!” Concentrated on Miyata we hadn’t realized that Kitayama had approached us. At the last moment I pushed Senga to the side and jumped backwards dodging a sharp fire blast slicing through the ground.

Kitayama slammed me into the stone wall behind me, but I got a grip on his arm right before his burning fist reached my face. The part of his arm where I hold on to was smoldering through the ice I created to make him unable to move.

“What is it? Again not attacking?” He asked chuckling.

“You know exactly that we don’t want to harm you!”

“Maybe you don’t want to, but that doesn’t count for them!” He replied as he jumped backwards right before Senga jumped forward trying to hit him with an ice spear.

“Senga, stop!” I knew it wouldn’t be able to stop them, but I tried every time.

The fire demons as humans called them attacked villages around the area to destroy them. To be honest we, the ice hunters knew why they hated the humans so much. We were much alike, but if they wouldn’t listen to us, the only way for us to protect the humans was to fight against them.

“Nikaido, concentrate!” Wataru shouted at me the moment he jumped in front of me creating an ice wall on which a fire ball just crashed making me get out of my daydreams.

Wataru didn’t lose time to push the ice wall right into Fujigaya’s direction who had attacked and tried to jump out of the way now.

Kitayama and Senga were still more cursing at each other than fighting, while Miyata was a little bit over challenged with Tamamori’s attacks running away and hiding all the time. Wataru was now in a desperate fight against Fujigaya while I was just standing there not sure what to do.

I didn’t want to fight all the time! Every time we clashed I tried to speak to them, to somehow get a solution through talking, but it wasn’t just them not listening, but also our side not giving them the chance to listen.

“Nikaido, a little bit help would be great!” Wataru shouted at me while dodging Fujigaya’s attacks. But then I realized it again. While everyone else was really fighting serious Fujigaya seemed to fight halfhearted.

“Nikaido, watch out!” This time it was Miyata shouting at me, but it was too late. When I turned around a fire burst was already right in front of me. Because Miyata hid all the time Tamamori took the opportunity to turn towards me and attack from behind.

I froze my arms and lifted them up at the last moment, but the force of the fire blast was so strong that it lifted me off the ground and crashed me into the stone ground a few meters later.

“Nikaido!” Senga shouted worried, but Kitayama wouldn’t let him come to my help, but Wataru appeared next to me as I tried to get up again, luckily not badly hurt.

Tamamori had turned around to Miyata again as he also tried to rush over to me. My look fell on Fujigaya who had maybe not even realized himself that he had the perfect opportunity for an attack right now.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry! Go and help Miyata!”

“But what is with Fujigaya?”

“I will handle him!”

Wataru raised an eyebrow on that, but didn’t say anything before he rushed over to Miyata and Tamamori.

I stood up approaching Fujigaya slowly. He took a step backwards, but wasn’t attacking.

“Don’t you think we fought enough already?”

“You are not the ones we were about to attack. It’s your own fault to get in our way.”

As I took another step forward he tensed and even though it didn’t seem like he really wanted to fight he finally attacked. He shot a fire ball at me, but I dodged it rolling over. I didn’t want to start a counter attack, still hoping that I could talk at least to him when the others wouldn’t listen.

“But there is a reason for us to stand in your way!”

“I don’t care!” He shouted at me before he created a fire blast slicing through the ground. The moment I jumped out its way Fujigaya had already leaped forward now standing right in front of me with burning fists trying to lunge out for a punch.

Out of self-defense I raised my hands shooting an ice blast direct at his chest making him fall backwards onto the ground with a painful gasp.

“I don’t want to hurt you. I just want you to finally listen!”

“Say that to someone who wants to hear it!”

He jumped up again, but before he could start another attack he got hit by an ice blast from the side crashing him into the next stone wall.

It was Miyata who had attacked. Wataru had gained the control over the fight with Tamamori so that Miyata could start an attack unnoticed.

“Miyata, stop it!” I jumped between him and Fujigaya as he tried to attack again already forming a sharp ice spear.

“What are you doing? This is our best chance!” He yelled at me obviously angry at my behavior.

“We are not here to kill each other!”

“Maybe you are not, but we are!” This time it was Kitayama who appeared next to us making Miyata redirect his attack to Kitayama, but he wasn’t fast enough.

Kitayama had formed a huge fire wall with which he made us jump back as he tried to make it collapse at us.

“Senga!” Miyata had seen him lying on the ground first, but he wouldn’t dare to move over to him concentrated on Kitayama’s next attack.

The moment Kitayama seemed concentrated on Miyata I took the chance to rush over to Senga.

“Nikaido, no!” Miyata tried to stop me, but I was already running over to him.

I heard how two attacks hit each other behind me, but with the next clash I heard Miyata scream out. As I turned around again I saw Miyata on the ground fire all around him. As Kitayama was about to attack again I took action for the first time.

I shot an ice spear right into his direction knowing that he couldn’t see it coming and it hit, but the wrong person.

“Taisuke!” Kitayama had realized in the last moment that I was attacking, but before he could even defend himself Fujigaya had jumped in front of him, but through his clash into the wall before he wasn’t back to his complete strength. He had tried to form a fire wall to stop it, but it wasn’t strong enough so the spear was melted a little bit and, but not stopped. It had hit him into his upper body right over his hips.

Even though those fights were of course serious I never wounded someone badly before. Seeing how Fujigaya slid to the ground in Kitayama’s arms made me realize again how necessary it was that we started talking and not fighting.

“You will pay for this!” Kitayama shouted at me as he tried to stand up walking over to me, but Fujigaya hold on to him. Again there was this hope that we could finally talk and stop fighting.

But then there was a huge impact and when I turned around I saw how Tamamori made the ground crumble and fire shot out of the cracks.

Wataru jumped out of his reach and as my look fell on Senga I was relieved that he was almost back on his feet as well.

When I turned around to Miyata and the others again wanting to talk to them again the ground started shaking, but this time Tamamori looked to the ground confused as well.

“Oh shit, everyone get away!” Wataru shouted as we all realized that through Tamamori’s attack the stone ground had given in.

In this region there were many old caves under the mountains and it seemed like they had just crumbled.

Senga, Wataru and Tamamori were already trying to get away, but the rest of us was next to the stone wall, not sure where to run to.

“Nikaido, get away!” Miyata shouted as he took off to the other direction knowing that it would be too dangerous to run over to me.

The moment I wanted to turn around a huge crack appeared next to me and I jumped back.

“Taisuke!” As I turned around I saw how Fujigaya pushed Kitayama away the moment the crack was right in front of them. Fujigaya made it somehow to the other side. But now Kitayama was on the other side of the crack out of his reach and he couldn’t walk on his own.

“Mitsu, get away!”

“As I would leave you behind!”

“You have no choice! Go!” He screamed at him and as more cracks appeared and the stone wall started to crumble he took a few steps backwards, but was still not running away.

I could understand him, I wouldn’t leave my comrades behind either, so I did the only logical thing. Instead of trying to get away I rushed over to Fujigaya and lifted him up from the ground.

“What are you doing?” Fujigaya asked confused trying to get out of my grip as I put his arm around my shoulder.

“What does it look like?”

“Let go!”

“Don’t be so stubborn or do you want Kitayama to risk his life as well?”

Finally he gave in as he realized that his behavior was not just putting him into danger. We both looked over to Kitayama and even though I saw in his eyes that he wasn’t sure if he could trust me he finally started running as another crack appeared right next to him.

“Let’s go!”

I tried to drag him with me as fast as possible, but all the cracks and the shaking ground weren’t really helpful. As a crack appeared right where I had stepped I lost balance trying to not fall over to not hurt Fujigaya even more.

“Are you okay?” I asked him after I had somehow stopped our fall holding on to his hips. He looked at me in a mixture of panic and something else I couldn’t read, but before he could reply anything the ground gave in completely and we fell.

***

As I gained conscious again I needed a moment to recall what had happened. I sat up trying to find out if I had any injuries. I put my hand to my head breathing in sharp as I realized that I had hit it pretty hard. But thanks to our ice powers, we were really good in healing. I made the bleeding stop and was relieved that the rest of my body seemed okay.

Then I heard someone groaning painfully, but I couldn’t see anything. We must have fallen in one of the caves, but the crack had closed again leaving us in the dark.

“Fujigaya? Are you alright?”

First there was no answer, but then I saw a small fire a few meters away from me finally making it possible to see something.

Fujigaya was lying on the ground holding on to his still bleeding wound now setting the ground around him on fire so it was easier to see something.

I was already on my feet walking over to him as he shot a fire ball into my direction.

„Whoa, don’t attack! Are you crazy? “

“What do you think I will do when you come closer?”

“You are wounded, I can’t just leave you alone!”

“Who would care if his enemy is wounded?”

“I do!”

“Oh great, now you are making fun out of me or what?”

“No, I just try to understand you. We want to make you understand that we are not your enemies.”

“Then why are you getting in our way all the time.”

“I know it might sound stupid, but we get in your way to protect you!”

“Protect us? You are attacking us!”

“Yeah, but just because you try to harm people.”

“Not without a reason though.”

“Just because they think of us as monsters or whatever, doesn’t mean we are allowed to turn into what they think we are.”

“What do you mean by “us”, it seems like you get along well with them.”

“Yes we do, at least we do now. There were other times as well, as they feared us, hunted us and killed us out of fear.”

“So you should know why we are doing what we are doing!”

“Yes and no! At first we started attacking them as well or more like fighting back at least. But we made a turn starting to talk to them, explaining ourselves and because they listened we are now able to live side by side.”

“How come that they don’t listen to us then?”

“Because you don’t talk.” I paused as he took another deep breath and twisted his face in pain. I made another step towards him, making him glare at me angry. “Would you let me treat you for now? I can’t let you die while we are talking.”

“Do what you want!”

“Thank you.”

Finally he let me sit down next to him. As I put one hand on his wound he flinched. He looked away obviously still not sure, if he could trust me.

“You are really naive, do you know? Humans can be scary, even scarier than us. When you think that they trust you, that they finally understand you, they betray you and this is exactly why I don’t talk to them anymore.”

“I know what you mean.” I pointed on my cheek on which a long scar was visible. “This scar is from someone I called my best friend for a long time. After he had betrayed me, I lost trust into others for a long time, but as I saw how we were able to help people with our powers and make them happy and protect them, I found the courage to give it a second try. Sure I won’t know if I get betrayed again, but I already met so many people which didn’t betray me that I will be able to move on whatever comes.”

“Sounds like a dream.”

“Would maybe even be better, because then we could wake up and be like everyone else.”

“Now it even sounds like a fairytale.”

“Therefore we would need a princess.”

“And a horse.”

“Don’t forget the witch.”

We exchanged a brief look both chuckling at the change of topic.

“Don’t make me laugh, it hurts.”

“Sorry.”

I tried to concentrate on his healing, it took long for such a deep wound.

“That didn’t mean you are not allowed to talk anymore.”

I looked at him kind of confused. A moment ago he tried to kill me and didn’t even want me to help him and now he seemed just like someone of us.

“What’s wrong?” He asked after I had still not said anything.

“It’s a long time ago that I could speak openly like this to someone and of all to someone who shares the same worries as me.”

“Yeah, with the difference that I and the others are still one step behind you and I’m not sure if you can convince them to speak to the humans again.”

“I have to try at least.”

“I’m really curious to see what will happen to you in the end, because of your naivety.”

I just smiled on that concentrating on the almost completed healing again. Fujigaya shut his eyes and we stayed silent for a while.

As I took my hand away and the fire around us was almost out I looked at him again. He seemed so calm, just like everything was alright. You would never have imagined that he was just like me. Full of doubts about being born with those powers, to be feared by the humans and not knowing where he belonged.

“Are you done?”

Even though he didn’t open his eyes at first I looked away automatically.

“Yes, it’s not one hundred percent healed, but you should be able to walk around normally.”

He opened his eyes and sat up putting a hand to the almost not visible wound anymore.

“Nice powers!” He said with a brief smile.

“But the same powers hurt you. I’m sorry.”

“What are you talking about?” He hit me on the shoulder before standing up spreading more fire on the ground to make it brighter again. “Don’t forget that we are still enemies! Attacking each other is normal!”

But even though he said that he still had this smile on his face making it hard to imagine that just a moment before we had tried to kill each other.

“Let’s try to find a way out of here. We don’t know what the others are doing up there!”

“Right!” I got up following him as he lightened the ground in front of us.

For a while we didn’t talk, trying to find an exit to the cave. I wondered what made him so trustful in this short time. When I approached him earlier he tried to attack me and now even though I’m walking behind him he was not even turning around worrying that I could attack.

“Oh sorry!” I had pumped into him when he suddenly stopped walking. “What is it?”

I looked over his shoulder and there was still a path going, but it was almost completely under water.

“Oh that’s a good sign! Often the rain water forms a lake near the exit! If we pass this one, we might find the exit!”

“That’s easy for you to say!”

“What do you mean? It’s not that deep, we don’t have to swim and the ceiling is high enough so we can breathe most of the time at least I hope so.”

He didn’t say anything and I could see that there was something he didn’t want to tell me.

“Let’s see if there is another way!”

“Why? This is definitely near an exit, why should we walk the whole way back?”

“I just don’t have a good feeling about this!”

As he tried to pass me I took a hold on his wrist.

“What is it?”

“What do you mean?”

“There is something you are not telling me!”

“No there is not, let go!” Fujigaya tried to rip himself out of my grip, but I wouldn’t let him go. I wouldn’t go the whole way back, because of his stubbornness.

“Just tell me!”

“I said there is nothing!” This time he tried to push me away so that I lost balance, but I hold on to his wrist so in the end we both landed in the water.

“So now we are already in, so let’s just go!” I got up again looking down at him, while he sat in the water his face turned away from me. “Fujigaya?”

I could see that something was not right as his body started shaking and his breathing got heavy. I moved in front of him crouching down next to him. A shiver went over my back as I saw his pale skin and his suffering face.

“Fujigaya, what’s wrong?”

“Get me out of the water!”

I dragged him out of it as fast as possible and was more than relieved as he turned back to normal in the matter of minutes.

“What was that?” I asked carefully, but he didn’t answer and finally I understood. “It’s the weak point of all fire demons, right?”

Again he didn’t answer, but his look told me that I was right.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell the others.”

“Sure as if you would keep such an advantage for your side hidden from them.”

“As I told you I want to talk, not to fight!”

“Yeah, but if it gets necessary you will fight! You did so before as well!”

“Yes I will fight when my friends are in danger, as you will protect yours if they are!” I responded angry. “Get up!”

“What? Wait, what are you planning to do?” Fujigaya ripped on my arm as I moved over to the water again, but he was still not back to full strength.

“It won’t kill you, right?”

“Not right away, but it might if it takes too long!”

“I will drag you to the other side if necessary! But we wasted already enough time, we have to get out.”

“No, let go! As if I would entrust you my life like this!”

My body acted before my mind could catch up. I had grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the next wall making him breath in sharp.

“I don’t care what you want. For now I want to get out of here and I won’t leave you behind. I didn’t decide to rescue you earlier for nothing. When I show up without you again Kitayama is going to kill me, so you will come with me!”

He looked to the ground for a moment and I could see that he knew exactly that he couldn’t win a fight against me right now.

“If you are letting go of me, I’m dead I hope you know that!” He finally said as he pushed me away walking over to the water again with crossed arms and an annoyed flick of his tongue.

“Don’ worry, I won’t!” I said serious as I stepped next to him holding my hand out to him.

He hesitated a moment before he put his hand into mine, so I could put his arm over my shoulder. As we made the first steps into the water it seemed still okay, but as we were in deeper he let out a groan and his skin had turned completely pale again.

“Don’t worry, we will make it!”

“Easy for you to say, you can make it on your own.”

“Trust me, I won’t leave you behind.”

The water turned so deep that it was hard to walk and I had to try hard to hold Fujigaya over the water. His breathing had turned flat and his groans suffering.

“Just a little bit more!” I hoped at least. I hoped that the water wouldn’t get deeper and that the exit was near.

“Fujigaya, would you try to at least hold on a little bit, it would be helpful. Fujigaya?”

As his body was kind of drifting away from me I stopped and turn around to him, but it was too dark to see him clearly.

“Hey, Fujigaya! Say something!” I was shaking him, but he wouldn’t react. “Shit!”

For a moment I didn’t know what to do, we couldn’t go back, it would take too long, but we also didn’t know how long it was to the exit.

Then I realized how stupid I have been. I concentrated on the water in front of me and with one ice blast I froze the water around us. I had to catch Fujigaya as his full weight of his unconscious body fell on me.

I lifted him up on my back and started to form an ice path through the water. I just hoped that the exit was near, because I knew that my powers wouldn`t last much longer until I would be too exhausted to continue.

“Fujigaya, come on, talk to me! Don`t you dare to die on me here!” I yelled at him and finally I saw light in front of us.

With the rest of my powers I froze the water around us and put Fujigaya carefully to the ground the moment we got out the exit of the cave.

“Fujigaya!” I shook him on the shoulders, but he didn`t react. He was ice cold, but I could still feel his pulse. I looked around us and realized that we were near the fighting ground.

I stood up and shot a huge ice pile into the air hoping that the others would see it. I sat down next to him too exhausted to stand anymore.

“Let`s hope that someone finds us, you just have to hold on until then!”

“Stupid, I told you I won`t die.” On the sound of his weak voice I went on my knees leaning over to him.

“Are you alright?”

“How do I look?”

“Not alright to be honest.”

“Then why do you even ask? By the way you are too close.”

I backed off with a hawk as I realized how close I had leant over him to check if he was okay.

“Thank you!” He whispered in a weak voice.

“For what?”

“For not killing me.”

“I told you I would never do that.”

“But you are still my enemy, I can never be sure, if I can trust you.”

“If you think so. For now just rest!”

“You should get away!”

“What? Why?”

“The others will show up in no time and I don`t think you want another fight, do you?”

“But I can`t leave you alone like this.”

“Would you stop being so protective?”

I wanted to start arguing again as I felt a presence. I swirled around ready to attack as I realized to my relief that it were my people approaching.

“Leave!”

“I won`t leave you alone like this, I told you!”

“And you think they will be fine with it?”

I knew he was right. They would try to convince me to take him hostage or something, but I didn`t want to leave like this.

“Taisuke!” On the sound of Kitayama`s voice we both looked up. I looked over to Senga and the others, which were luckily on the other side of the cliffs.

“So now you can leave, right?” Fujigaya said again lifting himself up into a sitting position. As I tried to help him he slashed my hand away.

“Don`t even try to help!”

  
“But-“

“No, Nikaido! We are enemies, just leave or the others will attack you for sure and I don`t want that!”

As Kitayama was about to approach us I finally got up, giving Fujigaya a last worried look, but I knew he would be fine and he was right, if I would stay we would have to fight again.

I ran over to the others trying to stop them as soon as possible.

 “Nikaido, what are you doing? Let’s attack!”

“No Senga, not this time! For now they won’t attack, we reached our goal, we protected the town, so let’s head back.”

“I don’t care, if they won’t attack now, they will try again later, so let’s just finished them off now!”

I had grabbed him by the collar before he could even try to make a step forward.

“I said, we are leaving!” I said angrier then I even wanted to.

“Who made you the boss here?”

“You two, would you please stop? It’s not helpful, if we start fighting in our own rows now!” Miyata said trying to get in between us.

“Senga, let’s just head back for now, okay? You are also hurt, we should treat all our wounds first.” Wataru tried to convince him.

Senga gave me another angry glance before he left first with Wataru.

“What happened in there?” Miyata asked curious as I glanced back at Fujigaya over my shoulder once more. But Kitayama and Tamamori had already helped him up hurrying to get away obviously worried that we would attack them.

“What do you mean? We just searched for an exit.” I shrugged with my shoulders ready to leave as well, but he stopped me making me face him.

“I know you always want to talk to everyone, but even though he might have listened to you in there, please remember that it was an exceptional situation. Next time he might try to kill you again.”

“But he also might not!”

“Nikaido, please-“

“What’s wrong with all of you? You act like we there is no other way for us except for killing each other. If the humans would have thought the same about us, we or them would be all dead by now!”

“I know how you feel, but-“

“No Miyata, no but, not anymore! I have enough of all your excuses and all the fighting!”

There was nothing else to say. For now we just left for the town again and I was happy that he didn’t try to argue anymore.

I couldn’t concentrate for the rest of the day and the next days weren’t any better.

Senga was still angry at me and of course he told the humans about my refusal to attack, so at the moment I was something like the town’s black sheep, but I didn’t care. I did the right thing and even though they didn`t want to accept it, they also knew that it wouldn`t have solved anything if we would have attacked them back then. Even with Fujigaya hurt, it didn`t mean that we could easily win.

“Hey, Nikaido. Do you have a moment?” Wataru asked while I was on my way to the forest, happy about having some work to do which wasn`t connected to the towns’ people.

“If you want to lecture me again, no I don`t have time!”

“To be honest I wanted to ask you something.”

“That would be?” I didn`t stop walking, so Wataru followed me into the woods.

“Wataru, if you want to ask something, do it, if not leave me alone!”

“Water!”

“What?”

“When you came out of the cave you both were completely wet, so I guess there was water inside the cave.”

“Yes there was. And?”

“The reason why Fujigaya was so hurt wasn`t because of the wound, but because of the water, right?”

Now I knew what the purpose of this conversation was, but I promised Fujigaya to not tell anyone and I was determined to keep this promise.

“I don`t know what you mean. He was badly hurt from the start and our fall didn`t make it better. I just dragged him out the cave all the way.”

“Nikaido, we both know that this is not true. As if you wouldn’t have healed him right away. Information like this can help us to defeat them.”

I stopped walking and turned around facing him angry.

“There is no reason to defeat them! There is not even a reason to fight! So would you stop construct some not existing weak point about them and just leave me alone?”

I already turned around again as Wataru grabbed my jacket to turn me back to him. Before I could even argue with him again he had lunged out for a punch. I found myself on the ground looking at him with wide eyes.

“Would you cut this shit out already? We had to suffer a lot and I know you want to rescue everyone, but just think about us a little bit more, would you? The reason why we stopped talking to them was because we had to sacrifice a lot through your talking. People dying is not a part of talking, as you might have forgotten.”

“We killed people on their side as well!”

“But they attacked first.”

“We also attacked the humans first or more like a few others of us did, when I didn`t want them to.”

“That`s another story.”

“No it isn`t, Wataru! They are the same as us, don`t try to ignore this fact.”

“But we are living two different types of lives. If you want to hear it or not, we are on two different sides.”

“Then I`m not sure anymore, if I am on the same side as you are.”

He didn`t reply anything on my statement and to be honest I was really happy about that, because I wasn`t sure myself what I had just said. But for now I needed time to think, so I just left Wataru behind running through the forest not reacting to his shouting.

I found myself back at the battlefield from one week ago. The trees were burned and the ground was cracked open. I wanted all this fighting to end, but with my own people being this uncooperative it would be almost impossible to end this war or however you wanted to call it.

“I would say I am surprised to see you here, but somehow I am not.”

I was so deep in my thoughts that I didn’t even realize that someone had approached me.

“You are so easily distracted. If I would have wanted to, I could have killed you.”

I had to smile at his words, because we both knew that he owned me too much to kill me just like that.

“Fujigaya, good to see that you are fine.”

“Yeah thanks to you.”

“Thanks to me we made it out the cave, but your people took care of you after that.”

“Don’t praise them too much. It is not so easy being around them lately.”

“Tell me about it.”

We let out a synchronal sigh, which made both of us laugh. I couldn’t even describe this feeling, but it felt just like we would know each other for an eternity and just meet randomly talking about god and the world and I could see that it was the same for him.

“Did you try to talk to them?” I asked curious.

“More or less. Every time I tried Mitsu warned me about trusting you just because you helped me. They think it was just a trick to gain my trust.

He looked at me with a look I wasn’t sure of how to interpret, but then he cracked a brief smile.

“But you are too much into your talking to actually come up with such a plan I figured.”

I smiled back at him nodding relieved, because it was the truth and I was happy that he could see through me even though his friends thought I would try to step them in their backs by gaining his trust.

We walked alongside the battlefield talking about all that had happened and also about what we should do from now on. I was surprised that he was so open to me and listened patiently. Having him walking next to me felt weird, but somehow intimate and it calmed me down.

“Do you think they would listen to me, if I would try to talk to them?”

“I think you would be dead before you could even open your mouth.” Fujigaya replied honestly.

“Even if you would be by my side?”

He stopped for a moment and I turned to face him, he bit his lip and looked at me worried.

“Honestly it could make them listen, but I don`t want to risk that.”

“What are you talking about? When we have a chance to finally stop this battle between us it is worth the risk.”

“No I think this is not a good idea.” He shook his head looking away like he would try to hide something. But his behavior made me angry. If there was a chance to make them listen I wanted to take it. I grabbed him by the shoulders and out of surprise he looked up at me again.

“Fujigaya, please. If you think they will listen when you are with me then please bring me to them.”

“No I can’t.” His tone was serious, but his voice was low.

“There is no reason for you to be afraid, right? They won’t attack you! You are one of them.”

“But as I said it is still a ‘maybe’! What if they attack you anyways?”

“Then they will, but at least I tried.”

“Don’t take this so lightly!” His tone had gotten angry and it made me raise an eyebrow at him as he slapped my hands away from his shoulder.

“You know that I am not taking this lightly. Why don’t you want to take me to them?”

“As I said, because I am not sure if it will work out.”

“But why would you care even if it doesn’t? You won’t get hurt.”

“But you will and I don’t want that,” he shouted at me making me flinch out of surprise. He looked kind of irritated by his own words, but he continued anyways. “I don’t care if everyone says we are enemies, I don’t want to risk your life! You are- You are too important to me!”

His voice got lower with every word and he hugged himself like he was ashamed of what he had just said. But his words had finally made me realize why I was even angrier at my own people than ever before. It wasn’t because of their fight or their behavior. It was because they mistrusted Fujigaya, while he himself had grown as close to me as I never had thought would be possible with anyone, especially not through one incident.

“What am I even saying? God this all doesn’t make any sense!” Fujigaya growled ruffling through his own hair.

I didn’t take off my eyes of him while my thoughts were racing. He wasn’t looking at me instead he was looking to the ground like he was afraid of my reaction. Seeing him so unsettled about his own feelings I couldn’t stop myself from moving forward. I had reached out for him before my thoughts could even catch up. I lifted up his head and before he could even realize what was going on I crushed our lips together.

He didn’t struggle, but he didn’t return the kiss either. He seemed too surprised by my actions to do anything at all. I wasn’t sure myself what exactly I had thought would happen through my impulsive behavior. I put one hand in his hair and moved the other one under his chin afraid of him backing off the moment I would let go of him, but the opposite happened. He reached out for me as well and a shiver ran down my back as he returned my kiss closing his arms around my neck.

I had closed my eyes and tried to not think about what we were doing too much, because I was afraid I would be the one backing off, if I did. But then I felt how Fujigaya moved one hand to the front of my shoulder and clapped on it lightly. I ignored it first, but when he clapped again this time with a little bit more force and tried to move backwards a little bit I finally understood and moved away. He took a deep breath having his eyes first closed before looking at me again with a small smile.

“Sorry, I didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere, but I really needed air.” He said rubbing the back of his head embarrassed, boing it a little bit.

“I am relieved that this was the only reason why you struggled.” I replied, not sure what else to say.

A brief silence followed and we both looked around kind of unsure what to say, but as we looked at each other again obviously both trying to say something at the same moment we started laughing.

“Sorry, I didn’t want this to turn so awkward.” I said honest, but still laughing.

“Don’t worry about it, being awkward with you is way better than being around my people at the moment.”

“Same here.”

“Maybe I should really consider taking you to them.” Fujigaya said suddenly making me look at him confused.

“Why the sudden change of mind?”

“Because if our fight is over, we could meet like normal people and not just somewhere in the forest by accident or in a battle.”

I wanted to reply something, but when I opened my mouth I heard a familiar noise, a huge one. And as I looked behind Fujigaya I saw how a stream out of ice sliced through the ground aiming directly at us or more at Fujigaya. But I was fast enough to drag him behind me and create a huge ice wall to stop the stream and it shattered against my wall with a clashing sound.

“What`s going on?” Fujigaya shouted behind me and it was this moment that I realized that we were really too stupid to see that we didn’t have to fight each other. He could have started an attack to defend himself or even think that I had planned this to lure him into a trap, but all I could see on his face when I turned towards him was fear. So much to my people always trying to make them look like monsters.

“I think someone of my people must have come searching for me or maybe it was just a coincident, but anyways you have to leave. Through my ice wall you can flee without him seeing you so go!”

First he didn’t move at all, but then he nodded slowly and turned around, I was also turning ready to stop whoever was trying to ruin what I had just built up.

“Nikaido!” I turned back on Fujigaya’s voice and as I did he stood right behind me again. He reached out for me and pulled me into another kiss, a short, but intense one.

“We have to meet again.”

“We will.” I said promising, trying to make him leave, because I really got nervous that something bad could happen, if he wouldn’t be gone in time.

“Then tell me when and where.”

I wasn’t calm enough to think about some hidden meeting place at that moment, so I came up with the best place I could think of.

“The caves on the western hillside. In two weeks, midnight!” I almost screamed the words at him as I tried to push him towards the forest.

“I’ll be waiting.” He said with a bright smile and finally turned around to vanish in the forest just in time. I knew two weeks sounded long, but we both had to be sure, that our people wouldn’t get suspicious and at the moment that wouldn’t be easy on my side.

“Nikaido!” My mood had turned from hyper to extreme angry on the sound of his voice and I finally turned away from the forest and moved around the ice wall to get the outburst my body was asking for.

“Senga, what the hell?”

"I could ask you the same! Are you changing sides now?"

"As if, you know that I wouldn't. But I want to take the chance and stop this for once and for all."

"By meeting up with the enemy without telling us?"

"This was no planned meeting and even if it was of course I wouldn't have told you, because you would have killed him without one word, like you almost did just now." I had to try hard not to completely freak out on him, but he challenged his luck as always.

"You just don't get it, talking won't stop them."

"Oh really? Weird that it worked perfectly until you showed up."

"You should thank me for showing up or he would have killed you without any warning in the next few minutes. They are like animals attacking without any kind of warning."

Senga couldn't even react as I punched him directly into the face sending him to the ground with a painful growl.

"Says the one who attacks everything that moves. Just because you love fighting, you have no right to judge them like this."

"Why not? Do you know them any better than I do?"

"Maybe I do, but you don't like talking so I won't tell you."

Before he was back on his feet I left with big steps towards the city. I had to calm down and make sure that no one would think that I was about to meet up with Fujigaya again, but the question was if I could hide it from Senga? I wasn’t even sure when he had seen us, because even though he didn’t say anything about it didn’t mean necessarily that he hadn’t seen more than I wanted him to see.

***

“What is their problem? They are safe, aren’t they?”

“But who knows for how long?”

Miyata and Wataru came into the house talking in a loud and furious voice.

“What happened?” Senga asked sitting next to me at the table.

“Don’t even ask!” Wataru growled slamming the door shut behind them before sitting down next to us. “The people are getting restless, because there was no attack from them in the last two weeks.”

“Shouldn’t they be happy about it? Why do they complain about peace?” I asked confused.

“I can understand them somehow. It is like waiting for a volcano eruption.” Senga said shrugging his shoulders innocently as I glared at him.

“Maybe they just realized that there was no reason to fight.”

“Or they just moved on to destroy another city, in which no ice hunters will stop them.”

“Optimistic as always.” Miyata interfered before I could shot something back at him.

“Anyways, we should still be on guard.”

“Wataru is right, maybe we should patrol around the city. We could start today, I go with Nikaido and you two go together and then we switch every night.” Senga suggested giving me a weird look.

“Sounds good, at least we would be able to stop them right on time, if they are up to something.”

I just sighed on their over carefulness knowing that Fujigaya was definitely the reason why they hadn’t moved until now.

“What is it Nikaido, do you have some other plans for tonight?” Senga asked raising an eyebrow at me.

“No not at all, if you insist we can go right now!” I was already about to stand up, wanting this to be over as soon as possible, but Senga grabbed my arm stopping me.

“That’s not like you.”

“What do you mean?”

“You would normally try to talk us out of this and now you just give in?”

“Maybe I just realized that talking to you won’t do the trick.”

“Then how about we go tomorrow instead of today?”

“What? Why?” I cursed myself for my high pitched voice. I had played my role so good for the last two weeks, but now that Senga tried to interfere again I couldn’t keep my straight face.

“Oh sorry, you have plans for tomorrow already?” Senga asked with a mischievous smile and I really wanted to punch him for his behavior, but it would make things even more obvious. I had to meet Fujigaya tomorrow night no matter what or he would never trust me again.

“Do what you want I don’t care!” I needed time to make up a plan, so for now giving in was the only thing I could do, but I could see that Senga was still way too suspicious.

Half an hour later Wataru and Miyata went out for the first patrol and I was more than annoyed that Senga wouldn’t leave, even though he normally would be around some bar at this time not showing up before the early morning again.

I had enough after sitting around with him for already an hour without talking at all. I couldn’t even think of any kind of plan when he was sitting there watching every small movement I made and trying to interpret every expression I showed. I was about to get up and leave the house, but Senga rose up as well blocking my way.

“What?” I hissed at him annoyed.

“Are you meeting him?”

“Who are you talking about?” At least I had found my poker face again and didn’t freak out as before on his direct question.

“Nikaido, I am not stupid! I am not sure what this is between you and Fujigaya, but I have the feeling you didn’t just talk about the weather before I interfered.”

“Oh you are right, we also talked about flowers and the nice view.”

“Don’t make fun out of this!”

“I’m not, but you are making fun out of yourself right now with your stupid paranoia!” I had to try hard to not shout at him, because I knew that he was right, but if I would tell him the truth it would make everything even worse. I tried to push him to the side to finally leave, but suddenly Senga grabbed me by the collar and slammed me into the next wall.

“When was the last time that you lied me in the face?” His voice was steady, but his words hurt and they hit right where they aimed.

Sure Senga and I were always getting into fights easily, but we were friends since I can think back. We had grown up together feared by the humans, haunted and tortured by them until we finally found others of our kind and together we had managed to gain their trust. It had taken years and Senga was still not feeling safe around them. He never slept deep and he was always watching our backs.

“See you have no answer, because there is none! It is the first time.” His words were hurting not just me, I could see the tears glittering in his eyes. “Tell me why? Why are you lying to me?”

“Because I don’t want to lose you. If we don’t end all this fighting someone will die sooner or later.”

He let out a small chuckle tightening his grip on my shirt before pushing me against the wall once more.

“If this is how you take care of the ones which are important to you, I don’t want to be one of those persons anymore.”

I didn’t reply anything. I knew that he understood my reasons, but he was too proud to say them out loud. He wasn’t stupid, but I knew that it was hard for him to accept. We both knew that if he would interfere again, if he would hurt or even kill Fujigaya I would never forgive him and this was something I could never do, so I lied and he knew that I would continue lying to him my whole life, if it meant to protect our friendship.

Senga’s grip on my shirt weakened and I took his hands in mine to remove them carefully. He had started crying and cursed himself for it, but he couldn’t stop. He cried just too easily and when he did I couldn’t keep my sobs for myself either. I pulled him into a hug and he buried his face on my shoulder without even hesitating.

Yes we were fighting a lot and screaming at each other more than most people, but we would never let anything come in between our friendship, even if it meant to lie to him and for him to act as if nothing would be wrong.

But I still couldn't believe that he didn’t try to stop me as our patrol was coming up. Instead he had excused himself having some urgent business when we were leaving the house the next day. But I could see the pain in his eyes and it had made me feel horrible, but I knew running after him and apologizing would make everything even worse for him, so I just left. I knew that he wouldn’t try to follow me, but even though I knew I started running as soon as I reached the forest.

Some until now unknown feeling took over my body. It felt exciting and it made me move even faster as I finally saw the western hills. I hadn't give a proper meeting place so I was sure I had to search for him a while, but then I saw it. A small light coming out of the caves, fire! A bright smile spread on my face and instead of climbing up I lifted myself up on an ice platform jumping off in front of the cave.

"You made me wait." Fujigaya scolded me now leaning against the wall next to the entrance.

"Be happy that I showed up at all, it could have been worse than just making you wait."

On my words his smile he had put on vanished and worry replaced it.

"Did something happen?"

"No big deal, let's not talk about it." I waved it off trying to not make him worry too much. I passed him and sat down next to the fire.

"Don't tell me you feel cold?" He said in a teasing voice sitting down next to me.

"Just because I can throw ice doesn't mean that I am made of it." I replied as teasing as him, but Fujigaya moved closer and I flinched out of surprise as his hand moved under my shirt.

"Let me feel if you have a heart out of ice then."

"If I do you are more than allowed to melt it."

Fujigaya rose to his knees to pull my shirt over my head and I grabbed his hips as he placed himself over me.

He moved both his hands over my chest slowly and stopped right over my heart.

"Mhh, warmer than I expected." He announced with a raised eyebrow.

"So are you colder than I imagine?"

"How about you find out yourself?"

He guided my hands under his shirt and it took me just one stroke over his stomach to make him get rid of his shirt himself.

"And?"

"Not sure. I imagined it a little bit warmer."

He chuckled and gave me a lopsided smile.

"Maybe this part of my body is more satisfying." He put his hands to my hair to lift my head up and I followed his movements more than willingly. This time our kiss wasn't as rushed and forced as before. It felt like Fujigaya tried to explore every inch of me as patiently as he could. He kissed me carefully and light first, but as he moved one hand down over my collarbone I let out a small desperate moan and at that moment his kiss changed. He slipped his tongue inside my mouth and pulled so much on my hair that I responded with my hands closing around his neck to pull him closer.

As we broke the kiss he moved his lips down to my neck instead and I stroke my hands over his back digging my nails in his skin the moment he bit me.

"When did you develop such a craving for me?" I asked teasing as he faced me again.

"Who knows, maybe I just need someone to cool me down."

"Challenge accepted."

His smile made my longing for him grew even bigger and our kisses got short and messy through our heavy breathing and it didn't took long until Fujigaya had finally reached out for my pants. He hold on to my belt looking at me kind of questioning and hesitating, but I could also see the longing in his eyes, so instead of saying anything I pulled him into another kiss giving him the okay to continue. He moaned into the kiss as I reached out for his pants as well.

"Good that you lightened a fire or we would be freezing now." I said chuckling after we had gotten rid of all unnecessary clothes.

For a moment we remained like his, Fujigaya again sitting on top of me and even if the stone floor wasn't really what I would call comfortable I knew better than to complain.

"So how do we do this?"

I knew exactly what he meant as he gave me a lopsided, yet kind of hesitating smile.

"Any liking?" I asked challenging.

"You know I am normally all fired up, but sometimes even the fire can be tamed." Even though I had to smile on his try to explain this with his powers I got his point and it took me just a movement of my hips and a grip on his shoulders to turn us around.

"Did you do this before?" I knew it was an embarrassing question, but I needed to know, because for me it wasn't new, but I didn't want to hurt him.

"Yes I did, but this time it will be different I hope."

I didn't dare to ask, but his look darkened for a moment and I was pretty sure of the meaning of his words. But before I could hesitate he crossed his arms around my neck to pull me down, but instead of kissing me, he moved his lips to my ear.

"You are the first person I trust like this.” I was happy to hear that and smiled even though I knew he couldn't see it.” I know it sounds stupid, but all I can do is hope that I won’t get betrayed."

I moved my hands down to his hips slowly and carefully making him spread his legs. He let out a sharp breath and his grip on me got tighter, but he didn't resist.

Before I made another move he took his head away from my ear and faced me again putting his hands from my neck to my face.

"Don't make me wait."

As if he had known what I wanted to ask he had given me the answer before the actual question and the moment he kissed me again I rushed in carefully. Fujigaya closed his eyes breaking the kiss and I stopped moving until he relaxed again.

I wasn't sure if it was really because we were absolutely the opposite, but it felt so different from the times before. We normally stayed under our own, we had families and villages as well, mostly far away from the humans and I bet it was not much different for the fire demons.

Fujigaya relaxed fast and his pleasures noises made me shiver, I could feel that his feelings were overwhelming him the same way as mine did.

I didn't care what the others would think if they found out, but this was feeling more than right.

"Nikaido, please."

He didn't need to say more. He was as close as I was and his noises got even more pleasured the moment I touched him.

I wanted to kiss him again wanting as much body contact as possible as I moved deeper and faster, but both our moans made it impossible to close the distance between our lips.

The moment I brought Fujigaya over the edge he fisted my hair and moaned in a deep voice into my ear. That alone was enough to make me follow right after him.

I hold myself up facing him still breathing hard.

"Okay now I really feel warm." I said with a lopsided smile.

"Maybe you want to cool us down a little bit?"

I rose up as much as necessary to put my palms together ones before looking up and covering the ceiling of the cave with ice.

"Oh so your powers work the same as ours, the energy comes out your hands!? But your ice looks weird are you too exhausted to make proper ice?"

Sure my ice was looking milky, but there was a reason to it and when I lay down next to him I grabbed his hand and entwined our fingers.

"Shut up and watch."

He raised an eyebrow at me, but something wet hit his cheek and he turned to face the ice again.

"Snow!" His voice sounded as excited like the one of a small kid and seeing his bright smile made me more than happy.

"First time you see it?"

"We have fire everywhere, not a single snowflake would reach our hideouts or villages."

"I thought so."

He squeezed my hand and I turned to look at him again, but his eyes were fixed on the snowflakes falling down all over his body just to melt away.

“Thank you Nikaido.”

“Takashi.”

“Mh?”

“You feel so distant when you call me Nikaido.”

“How about Nika?”

“Why?”

“Because I bet that there are a lot of people which call you Takashi and I don’t want to be one of the others, I want to be a special someone.”

“Okay, but then I can call you Gaya!”

“Deal.”

We chuckled as our eyes met for a moment and I lifted myself up on my elbows to have a better look at him.

“Everything would change when we could live in peace, right?” Fujigaya asked curious.

“Yes it would change to the better.”

“I want you to speak to them.”

“If you are willing to bring me to them I will and with you by my side they will listen.”

“I hope so. They are not really what you can call patient or easy to convince of anything.”

For a moment we fell silent and Fujigaya sat up as the last snowflake melted on his chest hugging his knees and his eyes darkened again.

“Did they ever do something to you?” I asked before I could stop myself. It wasn’t that I really wanted to know, but I had the feeling that he had never had someone to talk.

“No, they are like my family. A really moody one, but still! I would trust them with my life.”

I stood up to get our clothes and we sat down next to the fire again, which had gotten smaller over the time. Fujigaya clapped his hands and when he directed his palms towards the fire a small fire ball flew into it making it grow bigger again.

Fujigaya put his head on my shoulder and I stroke the strains which had fallen into his eyes to the side carefully.

"I grew up in one of our villages like most of us, but I was different from the beginning. While everyone ran around the forest and burned down everything they could find encouraged and cheered on by their parents I didn't want to use my powers at all. I was afraid that I could hurt someone. It didn't take long until I grew something like an outsider to the others."

He took a deep breath, on which I put my arm comforting around his shoulders.

"They did horrible things to me before I finally decided to run away. It was a hard decision, I didn't know where to go and whom to trust, but then I met Mitsu and Tama. Sure they are all into fighting as well and they always try to convince me that all this is necessary and for my own good, but I hate it every time when we end up in a battle with you."

"I know exactly what you mean." So I hadn't mistaken when I thought that Fujigaya was acting differently from the other two and that I could maybe talk to him, even though this grew to be way more than talking.

"So how do you want to convince them?"

"To be honest I'm not completely sure, but showing up in front of them without the others will hopefully show them that I really don't want to fight."

"I hope so. Do you want me to tell them that you are coming or do you just want to show up?"

"It might be better when they already know, if they are really against it no one will get hurt. If I just show up like this they might feel betrayed by you."

“They might already when I tell them that I met with you.”

“If you really think that, then don’t tell them, I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“And I don’t want you to either. I will take the risk, end of discussion.”

I felt as insecure as he felt about all this, but instead of starting an argument I just pulled him even closer against me and he wrapped his arms around me in response.

We had just this one chance and we would take it no matter what. I didn’t know how we ended up that close after such a short time and especially when we met as enemies, but I didn’t want to lose him no matter what.

***  
“Would you please finally ask?”

“I don`t know what you are talking about.”

I stepped in front of Senga making him stop. He crossed his arms in front of his chest raising an eyebrow at me. We were out patrolling the next day and it was obvious that Senga couldn’t calm down because I didn’t say anything about what had happened the night before.

“Senga, I know you want to ask, but I will definitely not start talking on my own, because that just feels weird.”

He let out a sarcastic laugher shaking his head.

“So what do you want me to ask? How did it go? Or is what did you do with him all alone out in the forest a better question?” Before I could even think of responding he stretched out his arm signalizing me to wait. “Seriously, this was a joke! I really don’t want to know what you did.”

“I figured that much.” I slapped away his hand making him growl at me annoyed.

“How about you ask, if we found a solution about our battle problems?”

“You are kidding me, right?”

“No, why should I?”

“You had enough time to think about stuff like that?”

“Ha! So you actually wanted to ask.”

I snapped my fingers pointing at him with a triumphing smile.

“Don’t try to change the subject.”

“Okay, okay, so private details later, serious talk now.”

Senga rolled his eyes at my behavior, but I didn`t care, I knew him long enough to know that he really wanted to know what had happened between Fujigaya and me, not because he was over interested in my sex life, but more because he was, like always, way too worried about me, and knowing more about Fujigaya and our relationship would make him feel a little bit secure.

I explained to him what Fujigaya and I had planned, but his eyes grew wider with every word until his jaw dropped down the moment I was finished.

“You want to kill yourself?”

“No, but I want to give them a chance to stop this without a fight.”

“By sacrificing yourself?”

“Gaya will be with me, so it will be fine.”

“Gaya? What the hell, are you now even having nicknames for each other? What is he calling you, Nika?” He stared at me and I couldn`t hide a smirk, because he totally hit the jackpot. “Oh gosh, this is getting so awkward.”

“Anyways, I wanted to let you know, so the others won’t get suspicious when I am gone.”

“Wait, you really want to go alone?”

“Of course, if you and everyone else will come as backup and they find out, everything will be good for nothing.”

“I don`t like this idea, you know.”

“Of course you wouldn`t like it, but I know that you will trust me and that I can trust you, that`s why I told you.”

I could see that he felt uncomfortable being stuck between the wish to help me and do as I asked of him, but I needed at least him to know just in case it really wouldn’t work out the way I wanted it to.

“Please, Senga. If I won`t be back one day later you can come with the others and do whatever you want, because that would mean I failed.”

“Don`t say that.” His voice sounded worried and I felt bad for making him feel like this, but I needed him to know, because as much as I wanted this to work, I couldn`t be sure of what would happen.

***

I left in the middle of the night and even though I was sure that Senga was awake I was thankful that he kept his promise and didn't try to stop me or follow me.

Fujigaya was going to bring them to the battlefield from before so no one could stay hidden around the trees.

My heart was beating way too fast as I stepped out the forest and saw them right away.

Fujigaya was shifting impatiently, will Kitayama and Tamamori looked like they didn't even want to be here.

I approached them slowly waiting for them to notice me.

"Your friend is coming." Kitayama said finally as he saw me first.

Fujigaya swirled around and was obviously about to run towards me, but Kitayama grabbed his wrist stopping him. I couldn't blame him, I was sure that Fujigaya didn't say much about our relationship, so of course they wouldn’t trust me that easily.

"That's close enough." Tamamori hissed at me and I stopped a few meters away from them.

"Tamamori you know that we are 3 and he is alone, right? It's not like you have to be afraid of something." Fujigaya said while finally shaking off Kitayama's hand.

"You sure?" Tamamori brought his hands together and I knew what that meant. Before Fujigaya could even try to interfere, he shot a huge blast of fire into my direction, but I didn't move. The fire missed me by inches and I flinched a little bit on the surprising strong heat.

"TAMA!"

"What, he passed the test. Calm down."

"Test? You would have killed anyone right away, when someone would have done that to you."

"Right, but I am not the one which came to talk and take that risk, it's him."

 Fujigaya growled at him, but Kitayama stepped in between them and glared at both to shut them up.

"Then talk, because this is why we are here, right?" Kitayama said facing me straight on.

"Right, the question is if you are willing to listen and to think about what I have to tell you."

"We might think about it, but I cannot assure you that our answer will be what you expect."

"As long as you are willing to listen it’s fine. It is already more than I expected." I didn't make it sound abusive, but Tamamori clenched his fists and I could feel that his character was more than similar to Senga's. I knew I had to search for the right words or he would lose it before I could even make myself clear.

I looked at Fujigaya again before speaking and he gave me a brief smile and a comforting nod.

"Why do we fight?"

"Is that a serious question?" Kitayama asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Dead serious."

Kitayama looked at Tamamori and then turned to Fujigaya as if he was unsure what to say.

"Because we are not meant to live alongside each other. We are fire and ice, feared by the humans and hated by each other."

"Then tell me is there any reason why we hate each other? Did any of us do something that horrible to force an endless war on our people?"

Again he didn't know what to answer, so Tamamori answered instead.

"We were always the bad ones. While you were called the ice hunters after joining sides with the humans, we were reduced to mere demons."

"But it was the humans giving you this name, right?"

"Yes, but you sided with them to destroy us, so you are not better than them.”

"What reason did you have to attack this village the first time?" Tamamori flicked his tongue, he definitely thought I would be making fun out of him, but I actually had some good arguments to continue like this.

"As I said they treated us like demons."

"So those villagers attacked you before?"

"No they didn't."

"And that is why we sided with them. Not all humans are the same. That also applies for your people and mine. Not all of us sided with the humans a few are still fighting against them and against you."

"So what, you want us to go to the village and trust them just because they didn't attacked us until now?"

"If you don't give them a chance you will just prove their point."

"They made us to demons, so they have to live with what they created.” Kitayama yelled suddenly in a kind of hurt, but also angry voice.

“But you also created the hate against the ice hunters yourself and even though you attacked us first here I stand giving you a second chance.”

I could see that I finally left Kitayama speechless. He opened his mouth just to shut it again obviously trying to find out, if there was anything he could answer, but there was nothing left to reply. Fujigaya gave me a brief smile knowing that my arguments had got to him.

“Give them a chance like I gave you one. You also gave me the chance right now, because you listened to me without interfering. As I said before we are not all the same and we are also staying away from the humans, which are trying to fight against us, but just give us and this village a chance. You have to start somewhere.”

Tamamori had stayed silent for most of the time until now, but as I finished he chuckled and shook his head making Fujigaya glare at him.

“So naïve.”

“Tama!”

“Fujigaya, shut it! You really believe his words? What did he do to you that you trust him that easily?”

“He did nothing.” Fujigaya shouted at him before turning towards me for a moment before he continued in a low voice. “Nothing bad at least.”

“They are all the same, if we trust him just because he talks all high and mighty now, we will regret it later and I won’t risk losing our lives.”

“So what are we doing every day while fighting? When we attack them, don’t you think they will fight serious? We almost killed them in our last fight, but you are afraid of us getting killed?” The anger in Fujigaya’s voice rose with every single word until he almost screamed at Tamamori.

“They also tried to kill us or did you forget about your wound? Don’t defend him!”

“Why not? Just because you are afraid of trusting them?”

“Guys would you stop?” Kitayama tried to interfere, but Tamamori was about to lose it and Fujigaya was definitely not stopping by himself.

“Tamamori!”

“WHAT?” As I tried to get his attention back he threw a fire blast into my direction through his raising anger and this time I had to jump to the side or it would have hit me directly.

“NIKA!”

“Don’t worry, everything is alright.” I calmed Fujigaya down and looked back at Tamamori who looked a little bit surprised by his loss of control.

“Tamamori, are you all the same?”

“What do you mean?” He growled at me clenching his fists obviously trying to calm down.

“You said we would be all the same, so are your people also all the same?”

“At least we all share the same opinion about you.”

“And all the rest?”

Tamamori raised an eyebrow at me and I realized I should come directly to the point or he would really freak out.

“If you are all the same, then tell me are you treating Fujigaya the same way as he was treated by your people before?”

Tamamori’s eyes went wide as he realized what I was talking about. Kitayama just looked over to Fujigaya who had faced the ground shifting uncomfortable about the sudden change of topic.

“That has nothing to do with what we are talking about here.”

I had hit a really sensible spot I could feel that and even though I felt sorry for Fujigaya I hoped he understood that this was necessary to make them understand my point.

“It has! If you say we are all the same, then you mean we are all trying to kill you, that we are all seeing you as demons and fear you. But then you are also all the same, attacking us and the humans, killing us and also doing horrible things to your own people, because they don’t share your way of handling things."

“Shut up!” This time it was Kitayama who interfered. His look has gone dark and dangerous, but I couldn’t stop here.

“No I won’t! Until you prove me wrong, I will continue. Tell me Kitayama do you share Fujigaya’s opinion about us or are you against him? When what he told me is true the people which were against him did awful things to him, did you do something to him?”

Kitayama shook his head facing me straight on with a burning stare.

“Tamamori, you always want to fight. You always want to attack and ask questions later. Fujigaya doesn’t like that, did you hurt him because of it before? Had he to suffer through your hands?”

“WOULD YOU FINALLY SHUT UP?” Tamamori covered his ears with his hands before falling to his knees screaming. It wasn’t like I believed that he did something to him ever, also Kitayama would never harm him, because this was what Fujigaya had told me and I trusted his words. But it seemed like they finally started to understand that their stubbornness about their opinion towards us was also making them the bad guys.

“Nika-“ Fujigaya wanted to make a step towards me, but I signalized him to stop.

“If we are all the same, then I am about to attack you, because all I said was a lie and I just wanted you to let your guard down.” I made a step towards Kitayama who had tensed, but didn’t move. “But that would also mean that you didn’t rescue Fujigaya from your own people, but that you are just humiliating him the same way. Hurting him!”

I stopped just a few steps away from Kitayama, not losing the contact to his eyes for even a second.

“Say Kitayama, if I will attack you now does that mean that you have touched him?”

And that was it. Kitayama screamed out and before Fujigaya could even think about stopping him, he had moved his hands together and stretched them towards me so suddenly that even if I wanted to I could do nothing but shut my eyes and wait for the fire to hit me.

I felt the heat as the fire shot towards me and I heard Fujigaya’s desperate screaming, but then the heat was gone again and I finally dared to open my eyes again.

Fujigaya had fallen to his knees tears of shock glittering in his eyes. Kitayama was still standing in front of me with outstretched arms, but the fire had almost vanished, the rest of it still burning around me. He had redirected it just before it hit me so that it had burned through the ground right next to me for several meters.

“One chance!” Kitayama hissed at me between gritted teeth. He had clenched his fists looking at me with a weird expression. “You have one chance to bring your people and the humans of your village together with us, but if they attack everything is over!”

“Mitsu, they won’t trust us just like that!” Fujigaya had jumped up grabbing him by the arm, but Kitayama shook his head.

“I’m not saying that I want them to forget everything we did.” Kitayama gave Fujigaya a brief smile before he turned towards me again. “But you have to prove what you have just said! Because we will protect Taisuke, no matter what! So let’s see if your people can believe in us and that we can change our opinion about the humans as well, even if it will take some time for them to accept us.”

Kitayama leant down to help Tamamori stand up again. The youngest one seemed more than stressed out by the situation, but I was sure that he got the message and the fact that he didn’t speak up on Kitayama’ words showed me that he was willing to give it a try as well.

“I will try my best to bring you all together in peace, I promise.” I responded serious nodding towards Kitayama once who was already about to turn around.

Fujigaya gave me a brief smile and was about to follow the other two as Kitayama stopped him.

“I doubt you want to leave like that!”

Fujigaya blinked at him confused, but the older one just turned towards Nikaido. “Leaving him in your care is hopefully not a wrong decision!”

I gave him an honest smile and shook my head. “Not at all, I will protect him with my life.”

“Same as us then!” Kitayama turned towards Fujigaya again clapping him on the shoulder before leaving. Fujigaya seemed a little bit confused as he looked after them for a moment not knowing what to do. I had to chuckle on his confusion and finally he turned towards me approaching me with fast steps as the other two had vanished between the trees.

“Are you okay?” He asked worried, scanning my body for wounds, but instead of answering I pulled him into a hug. It felt so good to feel his warm body against mine and he closed his arms around me right away and buried his head on my shoulder.

“I was so afraid of losing you.” He whispered and I could hear the sobs he tried to hide, but failed.

“I know, I’m sorry.” I stroke carefully over his hair tightening my grip on him. I had been more than afraid myself that this encounter would be the last thing I would ever do. I still couldn’t believe that they had agreed to meet with everyone in peace to come to a conclusion. Sure it was just a few of them, that wouldn’t make all the fire demons change sides, but it was a start point. It had been the same with us before and I knew that I had to make this meeting to succeed, if we wanted to live in peace from now on. But now wasn’t the time to think about that.

Carefully I pushed Fujigaya up on his shoulders so that he would face me. Tears were still glittering in his eyes, but he smiled at me and I gave him a brief smile in return before closing the distance between us putting my lips on his softly.

Fujigaya closed his eyes moving his hands around my neck as I slowly deepened the kiss. Just a few minutes earlier I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to kiss him again.

“Can we really live in peace from now on?” He asked in a low voice after we parted again.

“If we believe in it, then yes! We started this movement and as long as we believe that it will work out, we can make it!” I was feeling as restless as him I could feel that, but his eyes also showed the same hope as mine. “We will find a way, but let’s think about that later, okay?”

Fujigaya cracked a teasing smile at me, as I tucked on his sleeves impatiently. “Right, I guess we have to take care of ourselves for now. Other problems later!”

As he reached out with one hand for my cheek I didn’t even wait for him to cross the distance as I met him halfway already for another passionate kiss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it :D  
> I would love to hear your opinion about the story ;)


End file.
